Birth Without Fear: The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum

by January Harshe

Overview

An inclusive, non-judgmental, and empowering guide to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum life that puts mothers first, offering straightforward guidance on all the options and issues that matter most to them (and their partners) when preparing for a baby.

In Birth Without Fear, January Harshe—founder of the global online community Birth Without Fear—delivers an honest, positive, and passionate message of empowerment surrounding everything that involves having a baby. It's a guide that fills in the considerable cracks in the information available to women and families when they're preparing to welcome a child—covering care provider choices, medical freedom, birth options, breastfeeding, intimacy, postpartum depression, and much more.

Birth Without Fear shows moms, dads, partners, and families how to choose the best provider for them, how to trust in themselves and the birth process, and how to seek the necessary help after the baby has arrived. In addition, it will educate them about their rights—and how to use their voice to exercise them—as well as how to cope with the messy postpartum feelings many people aren't willing to talk about. Unlike other pregnancy books, Birth Without Fear will also help partners understand what mothers are going through, as well as discuss the challenges that they, too, will face—and how they can navigate them.

Shattering long-held myths and beliefs surrounding pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience, Birth Without Fear is an accessible, reassuring, and ultimately inspiring guide to taking charge of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316515610
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	107,188
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

The mother of six children, January Harshe knows firsthand how widely birth experiences can range. In 2010 January founded the Birth Without Fear Facebook page and Birth Without Fear Blog in order to spread her message of empowerment, to give women their voices back in the face of a powerful medical industrial complex and widespread cultural ignorance about birth. Soon, Birth Without Fear became so much more than a website—January had sparked a movement. Her community had grown so big that January expanded her platform so she could speak directly to areas of specific need. She created Take Back Postpartum, Don't Forget Dads, and Breastfeed Without Fear under the Birth Without Fear tent, all of which today collectively represent a social media following of over 1 million and counting.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part 1 Empowered Pregnancy

Chapter 1 Variations of Normal: First Trimester Without Fear 3

Chapter 2 Advocating for Yourself: Second Trimester Without Fear 21

Chapter 3 Your Body Is Amazing, Your Baby Is Wise: Third Trimester Without Fear 39

Part 2 Options, Support, and Respect: Labor and Birth

Chapter 4 Variations of Normal Are Normal: Hospital Birth Without Fear 57

Chapter 5 All Warriors Have Scars: Cesarean Without Fear 73

Chapter 6 Vaginas Do Open, Babies Do Come Out: VBAC Without Fear 87

Chapter 7 Everything You Ever Wanted to Know-About Home Birth But Were Afraid to Ask: Home Birth Without Fear 97

Chapter 8 When Your Destination Requires a Detour: Backup Plans Without Fear 121

Part 3 Taking Back Postpartum

Chapter 9 Postpartum Without Fear 131

Chapter 10 You Do You, Boo: Self-Love Without Fear 155

Chapter 11 Cracked Nipples, Inverted Nipples, and Bottle Nipples: Feeding Without Fear 169

Chapter 12 You Are Not Alone: Mental Health Without Fear 187

Chapter 13 Hey, I Remember You: Sex and Intimacy Without Fear 199

Conclusion: The Self-Love Generation 213

Birth Without Fear Harmony Circle Guide 216

Questions for Care Providers and Birth Plan Templates 221

Glossary 231

Notes 241

Recommended Resources 243

Acknowledgments 247

Index 251

About the Author 265

About the Author of Partner Point of View 266

What People are Saying About This

M.Ed., founder of “The Birth Hour” podcast - Bryn Huntpalmer

“The first book on pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender postpartum period that will leave you feeling truly supported, understood, and informed. January bravely calls out in a straightforward, funny, and thought-provoking way where we have gone wrong with prenatal and postnatal care, and how women can reclaim their experience and find empowerment on their journey to motherhood.”

Author of The Sh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy - Dawn Dais

“With endless warmth and encouragement—and not a single ounce of judgment—January Harshe shares a wealth of wisdom and resources to help you discover what the best pregnancy and birth experience is for you. Birth Without Fear is a must-have book for anyone who is preparing to welcome a baby into the world.”

Editorial Reviews

"With endless warmth and encouragement—and not a single ounce of judgment—January Harshe shares a wealth of wisdom and resources to help you discover what the best pregnancy and birth experience is for you. Birth Without Fear is a must-have book for anyone who is preparing to welcome a baby into the world."—Dawn Dais, author of The Sh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy

"The first book on pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender postpartum period that will leave you feeling truly supported, understood, and informed. January bravely calls out in a straightforward, funny, and thought-provoking way where we have gone wrong with prenatal and postnatal care, and how women can reclaim their experience and find empowerment on their journey to motherhood."—Bryn Huntpalmer, M.Ed., founder of "The Birth Hour" podcast

"Birth Without
Fear is an inspiring, non-judgmental guide to taking charge of your birth and postpartum experience, as well as a no-nonsense,
mother-centered approach to empowerment. A must read!"—Dr. Vivian Keeler, D.C., CD, HBCE, CH, Vice President of HypnoBirthing International

"Practical, positive, and empowering."—Booklist

From the Publisher